I saw some 110 octane fuel today but it said it was leaded. Is this normal and can I run it in a newer motor?

BillK

Jan 25th, 09, 01:11 PM

Matt,

Definitely not "normal". Where did you see it ... race track or a station that sells racing gas ? I am fairly sure it is illegal to actually pump it into a vehicle. You can run it in a newer engine but it will destroy O2 sensors and Cat Converters pretty quickly. ALso, if the engine is designed for 87 octane you will gain nothing by putting a higher octane in it. Might even run worse :(

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 01:18 PM

I saw it at a gas station. It was labeled racing fuel, said for off road use only and the pump was locked.

I should have been more specific about the motor. Its newly built but it does not have O2 sensors or cats. It was built to run on unleaded with new heads and components.

I just like the way the cars at the track smell. :)

Wooderson

Jan 25th, 09, 04:02 PM

I wonder if the 110 is actually 110 octane. I've used it before, but I am not convinced it is what the sign says.

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 04:27 PM

Interesting Wooderson; what are your thoughts on it?

Pro-Street69Camaro468

Jan 25th, 09, 04:36 PM

I mix mine 2.5 gals to a tank which is 15 gals.I don't need to as my motor is a pump gas but I with you I to like the smell.Its $7.00 a gal. up my way.

ddx77

Jan 25th, 09, 04:38 PM

$11 a gallon here in Lauderdale, VP racing fuels

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 04:47 PM

It was just over $7 a gal here. At that price Im glad it only takes about 2.5 gals to get the smell. LOL Is there any difference in performance with that gas?

ddx77

Jan 25th, 09, 04:52 PM

Didn't seem to change the performance for me, but I really don't run my car hard anyway.

Smells great, wish they could put the smell into one of those little green tree air fresheners, sure would be cheaper!

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 05:03 PM

Yeah, between that and WD-40...Im in heaven!!!

NHBandit

Jan 25th, 09, 05:11 PM

As the crew chief for a Nascar Pro-Stock I can tell you we tried some in the racecar and it made no noticable difference over the unleaded premium we normally use. The engines we are required to run are GM crate "Fast Burn" engines and they are designed to use pump gas. One of our competitors who is also a friend tried both types of gas on a dyno and horsepower actually was slightly less with the race gas. That being said it is great stuff for older engines and my 96 cubic inch stroker motor Harley loves the stuff... I believe the higher the compression ratio of your engine the more difference you'd see with the 110 octane stuff.

Pro-Street69Camaro468

Jan 25th, 09, 05:21 PM

It was just over $7 a gal here. At that price Im glad it only takes about 2.5 gals to get the smell. LOL Is there any difference in performance with that gas?I don't see any but you would have to check by the ET is the only way I would see.

Vegas69

Jan 25th, 09, 05:27 PM

Man I have been in this discussion on some other boards. If your engine is built for pump gas you are wasting your money. I run VP 110 in my Honda 450 but it has 14:1 compression. Most agree that to much octane will cause a loss in performance. Octane controls how easily the fuel burns. More octane requires more heat which is what a higher compression piston achieves much like a diesel engine. It does smell good:D Around here I can get 100 octane Rocket brand in the pump that is unleaded. It'a about 5 bucks a gallon where VP 110 is 10 bucks. I need 105 minimum with 14:1.

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 05:37 PM

So what Im getting from this discussion is the 110 octane will not increase my performance on a pump gas motor (which I dont really care about), its ok to run in a pump gas motor and I only need about 2.5 gals in a 15 gal tank to get that sweet exhaust smell.

Oh yeah, and the LEAD is ok too.

Sound about right?

NHBandit

Jan 25th, 09, 06:20 PM

The lead is fine as long as you don't have a catalytic converter, O2 sensor, etc.

camaroman7d

Jan 25th, 09, 06:46 PM

If it's the smell you are after you can buy additives to put in your tank with your pump gas to give it all sorts of different smells (like bubble gum, blue berry, rootbeer, etc..). That is a whole lot cheaper than paying $7.00+ for a gallon.

SRGN

Jan 25th, 09, 07:44 PM

You can get the smell by running aviation gas as well. I used to fill my GN up with avgas as it was 100 octane low lead, for about 50 cents more per gallon than 93. The extra money for the ability to run another 5 lbs of boost was worth it to me :) When I ran 110, I had to change the tune slightly but was able to run 4 PSI more than the avgas.

Fred Mertz

Jan 25th, 09, 08:16 PM

I like that Root Beer smell idea..

I used to use Trick 110 leaded mixed with Maxima 927 when I was racing karts. I could pick it up on my lunch hour. It's been a few years it was $4.40 a gal. last time I bought it.

I thought about trying it, but never got around to it.

My ZZ383 is 9.9:1 Probably not worth the effort based on what I read here.

vmatt350

Jan 25th, 09, 08:24 PM

I have heard of the smell additives for fuel. I just dont think a '69 Camaro with a 383, hooker headers and flowmaster super 44's would set the right tone by smelling like bubble gum or something when it drove by. LOL It is a cool idea though.

Steptoe

Jan 25th, 09, 08:59 PM

Running octane higher than what your engine is designed for, even playing with the advance will not give u any more beneift and just makes your pocket lighter

Extreme example...
My vintage Braford is designed to run on British pool fuel circa 1939/56 which had a octane on modern raing sytem of around 68
Bradfords, keep in mind they are only 2 cylinder 1000cc ...have had a rep off being very sluggish...
Being a Chemist by trade, I figured out how to drop 91 octane down to about 70/72 octane without gumming and washing bores
Not onlt does it get up and honk for a Bradford, it climbs hill fully ladden better than emty on 91 and the economy, even driving far more agreesive is way better than before.

My Camaro runs on 105 octane, I upped the CR to just under 11:1 on the last rebuild, pulls better, far better economy..thu to be fair I also redesigned the cam profile to drop the RPM range dramatically. closed durantion, overlap way up, and increased lift.

Wooderson

Jan 25th, 09, 09:06 PM

Interesting Wooderson; what are your thoughts on it?

I have always wondered if it really is 110, or is it something else? I think from now on I will mix just enough 100LL from the airport with some 93 pump gas to get the octane where I want it. I trust the aviation fuel because of the controls around ensuring it is what it's supposed to be.

South Side Goons & Hitmen

Jan 26th, 09, 01:26 AM

Back in the day (late 1980's/ early 1990's) I used to use stuff called Real Lead. You could buy it in a can at any Trak Auto, Giant Auto and many other auto parts stores. I think it was 110 octane. I put that in my tank. A Citgo gas station near my old house would sell 110 or was it 112??? racing Gas... I ran that racing gas in my old 396 which had 12.5:1 in it....It was a hydraulic cam with .292 advertised duration and .544 lift I think...The car ran great. You were required to take an emission test back then and the Illinois Emission control Center would stick an exhaust probe into the Cherry Bombs which were behind my headers, LOL!! It passed 1979 specs and almost 1980 specs...Ran cleaner & better with the racing gas and was 49 state emissions legal based on the test results of the exhaust.

That being said DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT run Leaded racing gas on a 1975 or Newer Vehicle. Especially 1981 or Newer which has and ECM and/or O2 Sensors. The lead will eat any emission controls alive especially catalytic converters and oxygen Sensors....If it's a first or early second gen Camaro with an olde skool engine, you will be fine.

If it's a pump gas motor lets say 92 or 93 octane and 9.5:1 you are wasting your money putting leaded 110 in it...Many places now sell emissions legal 100 Octane that is safe for even 4th gen Camaro's to run...No lead, just an octane boost from the unleaded 100 racing gas....Thie emmissions legal 100 octane is commonly found at Gas City in my area. If it's a pump gas motor, just use Shell 93, BP/Amoco Ultimate or any other 92 or 93 octane gas.

victimizati0n

Jan 26th, 09, 06:36 AM

i didnt notice any difference in smell from running leaded 110 octane (red sunoco stuff) compared to regular fuel with the timing retarded, and a bottle of octane booster